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Commission approves pursuing $400,000 MDNR grant for Booth Park plaza and trail improvements
Summary
After a detailed presentation of revised design elements and a debate over timing and cost inflation, the commission voted to accept and pursue a $400,000 Michigan Department of Natural Resources trust fund grant that will delay construction by roughly a year but reduce city bond expenditures.
The Birmingham City Commission voted Dec. 16 to accept and pursue a $400,000 Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Trust Fund grant to help fund Booth Park Entry Plaza and Trail Improvements, after a presentation from Parks & Recreation staff and the project design team and a discussion on financing and timelines.
Designers presented a revised plan that includes widened sidewalks, a new accessible plaza with permeable pavers, a restroom facility sited above the floodplain, a timber overlook deck with seating overlooking a rain‑garden feature, river access via a naturalized path and donor‑supported amenity areas. Project engineers said most construction drawings are at 95% completion and that permits from EGLE and the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner will be required before construction.
Staff reported that an MDNR nomination of $400,000 could require the city to shift the construction schedule and wait for formal grant execution and state reimbursement processing, which historically can take several months. Commissioners debated the tradeoff: Commissioner Hague and others noted potential cost escalation if construction is delayed, observing that the project estimate rose from about $1.1 million to $1.5 million in current dollars. Staff contended that much of the increase reflected scope additions requested by the commission rather than pure inflation and that awarding the grant would free bond funds for additional smaller park projects that could be advanced sooner.
After questions about ADA access routes, vehicle access and maintenance costs (staff estimated roughly $10,000 annually to maintain a restroom facility compared with $3,000 for a single‑stall accessible porta‑john), the commission voted to authorize the city manager to execute an agreement with the MDNR for the $400,000 trust fund grant and to proceed with project preparation under the grant terms.
Why it matters: The MDNR grant reduces the city’s net outlay for the Booth Park project and allows staff to reallocate local bond funds to smaller, immediate park upgrades; it also requires additional grant‑compliance steps, potential plan amendments and coordination with state and county permitting authorities.
What’s next: Staff will finalize the MDNR application details, complete required engineering and permitting steps (EGLE floodplain amendments and Oakland County sewer easement coordination), pursue donor fundraising during the delay, and return to the commission with final contract documents and bid plans prior to construction.
